FM Lays Foundation Stone for Assam’s 1st Technical & Vocational University

Assam: In a major boost to higher education and skill development in the Northeast, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday laid the foundation stone for Assam’s first Technical and Vocational University at Bholaguri in Biswanath district.

Earlier this year, at the Rising North East Investors Summit, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi highlighted that Rs. 21,000 crore have been invested in the Northeast’s education sector alone in the last decade. Since 2014:

– Around 850 new schools have been established.… pic.twitter.com/dXlTGHG9Tg

— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) November 8, 2025

The institution — Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University — is named after the 17-year-old freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua, who was martyred during the Quit India Movement of 1942 while leading a procession with the national flag at Gohpur.

A new chapter unfolds in Assam’s quest to become an educational hub 🏫🎓👩🏽‍🎓👨🏼‍🎓

Today we begun work on constructing the Kanakalata Baruah University. This institution, named after Assam’s youngest martyr, will provide a solid platform to equip our youth to dominate Industry 4.0. pic.twitter.com/qclZWXGVmv

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 8, 2025

Spread over 241 acres with a built-up area of seven lakh square feet, the university will focus on advanced and emerging technology disciplines such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, blockchain, drone and navigation technology, quantum computing, brain–computer interface, internet of things (IoT), and smart city development.

Designed to accommodate 2,000 students, the campus will include modern academic blocks, hostels for 1,620 students, residential quarters, a guest house, and a student facility centre to provide world-class infrastructure for skill-based learning.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the ceremony, calling the project “a transformative step toward making Assam a hub for technology-driven education and innovation.”

Sitharaman said the new university will empower the youth of Assam and the Northeast with the skills required for a rapidly evolving global economy.

“This is not just a university; it’s an institution that will equip young minds with 21st-century technological capabilities,” she said.

With the foundation of Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University, Assam takes a decisive step toward bridging the gap between education and employability — and positioning itself as a new epicentre for skill and innovation in the Northeast.